Emilija Sakadolskis (Vilnius University) & Carol Ramsey (The University of Texas at Austin)
After 1990, Lithuania was faced with the daunting task of reforming education. Drafters of the reform emphasized national culture, social significance, democratization, and innovation to overcome the totalitarian legacy.
Darius Kuolys, the first Minister of Education and Culture visited the United States in 1990 and suggested that Lithuanian Americans could help reform efforts by providing educational materials. It became apparent that providing materials would not be enough, and the first A.P.P.L.E. in-service seminars were conducted in the summer of 1991, continuing for 25 years. The two-week intensive courses delved deeply into a single topic every year. This included cooperative learning, integrated curricula, neuroscience, inclusion, etc. Lithuanian doctoral students were coopted to help Lithuanian teachers conduct action research, a novelty that has since become part of everyday practice.
A 10th-anniversary press release states: “It is estimated that since the summer of 1991, approximately 470 U.S. educators have taught in the programs, and one-third of all Lithuanian educators have participated. No other foreign program has worked directly with so many Lithuanian educators or had such an impact on Lithuanian education.” Unfortunately, rigorous research on the A.P.P.L.E. phenomenon was not conducted. Anecdotal evidence exists regarding its undeniable impact, but it is not systematic. Teachers in their prime at the onset of the program are retiring and their voices have not been documented. In this paper, interview data about the program’s impact on Lithuanian attendees, American presenters, and several key leaders will be presented.